Riyadh: An Indian in Saudi Arabia has been banned from travelling abroad when he failed to pay his telephone bill of over Rs 3 lakhs from SIM cards he claims have been registered falsely under his name.
Shamsuddin Ansari, who works as a driver, is trying to get his name absolved from paying three outstanding phone bills issued by a leading telecom company worth more than 22,000 Saudi Riyal (Rs 3,54,534 approx).
Ansari said he has been banned from travelling abroad without paying his telephone bill of over Rs 3 lakhs from SIM cards.
"I am oblivious to where these bills have come up from," Ansari was quoted as saying by the Arab News. "I received a phone call from a telecom executive in Riyadh, who warned me to pay up. There are three SIM cards under my name and ID."
"I am a house driver and cannot afford three SIM cards in the first place," he added.
"My iqama copy has been misused. There is a credit limit system in place and a driver such as myself would never be authorised to run up a bill beyond SR 1,000. Why, then, has the telecom company kept quiet about such a staggering amount," he said.
An iqama is a residence permit issued to the expatriates who arrive in Saudi Arabia on an employment visa.
Such incidents are on a rise in Saudi Arabia. Nearly 20 Arab and Asian suspects were arrested in connection with the issuance of 15,884 SIM cards over the past seven months, the report said.
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